The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-12-15
Cleve1and's Issue F.!
He Boldly, Takes His Stand In
Favor of Free Trade!

The Presidents Message to ths
Fiftieth Congress, at its opening ses
sison, may be taken as Mr. Cleveland;
keynote for the campaign Of 1888
1t may have been that when Mr.
Cleveland resided in Buffalo, he knew
enough to step under shelter wher
the rains descended, and the floods
came Nothing he has accomplished
during his stay in Washington, how
ever, would suggest such thing
After discussing at some length the
subject of revenues, and the surplus
in the Treasury, the President says
this:
"Our scheme of taxation, by means
of which this needless surplus is taken
from the people and put into the
public treasury, consists of a tariff OF
duty levied upon importations from
abroad, and internal revenue taxes
levied upon the consumption of tobac-
co and spirituous and malt liquors. 1t
must be conceded that none Of the
things subjected to internal revenue
taxation are, strictly speaking, neces-
saries; there appears to be no just
complaint Of this taxation by the
consumers of these articles, and there
seems to be nothing so well able to
bear the burden without hardship to
any portion Of the people.
But our present tariff laws, the
vicious, inequitable and illogical
source of unnecessary taxation, ought
to be at once revised and amended.
These laws, as their primary and
plain effect, raise the price to con-
sumers Of all articles imported and
subject to duty, by precisely the sum
paid for such duties. Thus the
amount of the duty measures the tax
paid by those who purchase for use
these imported articles. Many of
these things, however, are raised or
manufactured in our own country,
and the duties now levied upon foreign
goods and products are called protec-
ton to these home manufactures, be-
cause they render it possible for those
of our people who are manufacturers,
to make these taxed articles and sell
them for a price equal to that de-
manded for the important goods that
have paid customs duty. So it happens
that while comparatively few use
the imported articles, millions of our
people, who never use and never saw
any of the foreign products, purchase
and use things of the same kind
made in this country, and pay there
for nearly or quite the same enhanced
price which the duty adds to the i'm
ported articles. Those who buy i'm
ports pay the duty charged thereon
into the public treasury, but the great
majority of our citizens, who buy do
mestic articles of the same class, pay
a sum at least approximately equal to
this duty to the home manufacturer.
This reference to the operation of our
tariff laws is not made by way of in
struction, but in order that we may be
constantly reminded Of the manner
in which they impose burden upon
those who consume domestic products
as well as those who consume import
ed articles, and thus create tax upon
all our people"
It seems that the tender-hearted,
sym pathetic man is moved solely by
his love for the poor consumer. He
has discovered that duties on i'm
ported articles that can be manu-
factured in this country only increases
the cost to the consumer, fills the
pockets Of the manufacturer, and
works against the business Of the
country. Irhe logical deduction,
from the Presidents line Of reasoning
is that the way to improve the busi-
ness of the country, reduce the surplus
in the Treasury, and have good times
generally, is to throw out of employ
ment all the labor employed in manu-
featuring interests in this country,
impoverish the manufacturers, close
up the factories, shut down the
furnaces and the mines, and put the
money-if there be any available, into
the pockets of European manu-
facturers. Such is the declaration
upon which Grover Cleveland will
come before the people of this country
next year.
The most Objectionable features
about the Presidents declarations is
that they are erruneous. In the first
place, a protective tariff does not in
crease the price Of home-produced
articles to the extent Of the duty i'm
posed. The experience Of this country
proves the contrary. The argument
of the President, all through the
message reads more like the speech OF
a third-rate Democratic demagogue,
than like the uttsrances Of a states
man. The Republicans will gladly
take up the cudgel Mr.. Cleveland has
kindly lain before them, and beat his
officials head off with it, next year.
1t is still understood, we believe, that
| Mr.. McKitterick will build the M. E.